STU, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen to Host Forum on The Fourth 'P': Combating Human Trafficking through Public-Private Partnerships

MIAMI, Sept. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ambassador at large CdeBaca, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State and Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking In Persons, U.S. Department of State, will join Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Monday, September 13, 2010 at Miami's St. Thomas University School of Law for a unique dialogue on the important role of the public/private partnership in combating human trafficking.

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Reverend Monsignor Franklyn M. Casale, President of St. Thomas University, as well as Dr. Roza Pati, Professor and Executive Director of STU School of Law's Graduate Program in Intercultural Human Rights, have been actively involved for the past few years with efforts combating human trafficking. Monsignor Casale testified before the Congressional Foreign Relations Committee during the process of the enactment of the Wilberforce Act. Professor Pati has been working on human trafficking issues in various capacities since the mid 1990s. Her presentations and research focus on issues of state responsibilities in fighting human trafficking, human rights approach to trafficking vis a vis criminal law approach, issues of prevention and the role of academia as part of civil society's combat on human trafficking.

Invited by the Bicameral Congressional Intelligence Oversight Committee of the Argentinean Congress of the Nation, Pati had joined teams of governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental experts on human trafficking coming from various parts of the Western hemisphere, discussing, among other topics, the new draft law on human trafficking presented to the Congress of Argentina.  Other symposia and international conferences, panels and dialogues have been launched through St. Thomas' academic endeavor. Dr. Pati had also facilitated the formulation of The Miami Declaration of Principles on Human Trafficking, a consensus document of policies drawn up by global experts at St. Thomas University on February 10, 2005 designed to combat human trafficking from a victim-oriented perspective.  She also drew on her experience in the field gained as the Secretary of State for Youth and Women in the Cabinet of her homeland Albania.

"Anyone who is involved in the world-wide fight against modern-day slavery is well aware of the three 'P's approach to addressing this issue: prevention, prosecution, protection. 'The Fourth P'--effective partnerships -- amongst governmental agencies inter se, as well as amongst these institutions with the NGO sector will be the driving force in tipping the balance to eradicate the lingering phenomenon of modern-day slavery. A phenomenon as insidious as trafficking in persons and of that magnitude can only be confronted through the mobilization of the whole community in all its layers: public and private," says Dr. Pati.

The Forum features government and private sector representatives in a meaningful discussion on partnership. The event takes place from 9AM-12PM, in St. Thomas University's Moot Court Room. For additional information on the academic conference and/or the Intercultural Human Rights program, LL.M and J.S.D., please call 305-474-2403 or email [email protected]. Attendance to the September event is free and open to the community.

SOURCE St. Thomas University